Goodwin Sands are a group of sandbanks off the east coast of Kent, England. They extend for 10 miles (16 kilometers) in a northeast to southwest direction, at a distance of about 5 to 6 miles (8 to 10 kilometers) from the coast.
The Goodwin Sands form a breakwater east of The Downs anchorage, offshore from Deal. Extensive areas of the sands are dry at low tide. Lightships (ships with beacons that function as lighthouses) warn passing ships of danger. According to legend, the sands belonged to Godwin, Earl of Wessex, father of King Harold.
